'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' by Ambrose Bierce
'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' by Ambrose Bierce
'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' by Ambrose Bierce is a 19th Century mystery story that is set at the time of the American Civil War (1861-1865) when the Slave owning Confederate States in the South engaged in conflict with the Federal Government of the USA. The story focuses on a character called Peyton Farquhar, whom is about to be summarily hung for trespassing on the Owl Creek Bridge; his fate is to be hung from that same bridge. The story ends with a curious twist in the plot. The main part of the story is set in Farquhar's mind, though whilst reading the reader is unsure (despite careful, hidden hints placed by Bierce) of this fact. Only at the end when it is clearly stated that Farquhar is hanging lifelessly with a broken neck from the bridge that the reader will become conclusively aware of this. It is divided into three parts, which I will analyse, in detail, separately.
Part I
'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' 'begins powerfully by introducing a man, whom is not named until later on in the tale. This obviously adds to the mystery. It describes with detail of him in somewhat a predicament ~ " hands behind his back", " wrists bounds with a cord", "rope closely encircled his neck". Words of such like are of a lexical set of entrapment and give the impression that the man in question is in danger and is unable to break free. Next, the reader learns that "executioners" (also are soldiers from federal army) are present that show the man has committed a crime, so is a condemned man. It raises questions as to why he is there, and forces the reader to continue reading. Bierce sustains more mystery by not revealing his crime until further on in the story
The exact positioning of the men and the careful attention to terminology in the description of their postures in the first and second paragraphs is part if Bierce's reality effect. He is creating this event as a fact by using the precise language of a military drill, for example "position known as support", "parade rest", "hammer resting on the forearm". These details have a thematic effect as well- one Bierce identifies explicitly. The goal of establishing the reality of the situation is reinforced by the geographical and political references, for example "Alabama", "Federal". The arrangement of the troops has a thematic significance as well; Bierce makes the meaning of the ordered ranks explicit.
The narrative tone is clearly sarcastic in the second paragraph ~ "Death is a dignitary........to be received with formal manifestations of respect", "in the code of military etiquette silence and fixity are forms of deference"; the army are liberal only in its distribution of suffering and death. By now Bierce's tone is established; dry, ironic, exact, almost pedantic~ the voice of a satirist.
In the third paragraph more about the condemned man is revealed. Bierce uses detailed descriptions of the man ~ "his features were good- straight nose, firm mouth, broad forehead, from which his long dark ...
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The narrative tone is clearly sarcastic in the second paragraph ~ "Death is a dignitary........to be received with formal manifestations of respect", "in the code of military etiquette silence and fixity are forms of deference"; the army are liberal only in its distribution of suffering and death. By now Bierce's tone is established; dry, ironic, exact, almost pedantic~ the voice of a satirist.
In the third paragraph more about the condemned man is revealed. Bierce uses detailed descriptions of the man ~ "his features were good- straight nose, firm mouth, broad forehead, from which his long dark hair was combed straight back, falling behind his ears to the collar of his well fitting frock". His purpose was for the mind to emphasize feelings more towards the condemned man. We learn he is a gentleman and Bierce makes it clear by telling the reader "the liberal military code makes no provisions for hanging many kind of persons and gentlemen are not excluded.
In the fourth paragraph, preparations to hang the man, of which Bierce takes time to explain ~ "plank would tilt and the condemned man would go down between two ties". Tension is building as the reader is convinced that he is sure to die, despite his innocence that Bierce seems to protest~ "no vulgar assassin". A feeling of contempt is directed at the Federal Army. Bierce was an avid epigrammist. Many neat aphorisms are worked into the text~ a purely literary flourish which works in a manner counter to the subjective realism of the narrative. Once you are sensitised to the technique you will find these buried aphorisms everywhere.
Bierce enhances the story with descriptions of minor thoughts~ "a piece of dancing driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current. How slow it appeared to move! What a sluggish stream!" This allows the reader to be inside the thoughts of the man; it is an omniscient third person narrative.
Time then slows down; the explanation of the phenomenon is both detailed and plausible, and there is a special trick that Bierce uses: the man closes his eyes and concentrates on the scene around him, then turns his thoughts resolutely toward his family. However, he is distracted by a loud noise, "like the stroke of a blacksmith's hammer upon the anvil". In addition, Bierce also compares it to a "death knell". This simile gives the impression that death is getting nearer, so close that he can hear its bell tolling. This is the last action presented in sequence; we now retreat into the man's past.
Part II
Bierce finally reveals the identity of the condemned man in part II. He is Peyton Farquhar, "a well to do planter" from a "highly respectable family". By these descriptions, Bierce is gaining his readers trust of Farquhar, portraying him as a respectable civilian with his heart devoted to the cause of the South. Bierce forces the reader to feel that Farquhar is an innocent man being hung. Part II is a side story that reveals his part and purpose for being hung, making his character seem more realistic and allowing the reader to develop sincere feelings for him.
The interlude at Farquhar's estate is both poignant and ironic. Farquhar imagines himself to be a soldier~ "was at heart a soldier" but describes himself to be "...humble (for him) to perform in the aid of the South" and "no adventure was too perilous (for him)". The reader will begin to associate these descriptions with the events in Part I.
He accepts the brutal and lawless outlook of war~ "assented to at least a part of the frankly villainous dictum that all is fair in love and war", even as a Confederate soldier receives a drink from the "white hands" of his wife. It never occurs to him that others devoted to victory might actually deceive him.
The solider tells Farquhar "any civilian caught interfering with the railroad, bridges (Owl Creek), tunnels or trains will be summarily hanged". The end of this curious portrait of a doomed way of life is an abrupt and bluntly ironic line. Bierce end Part II with this ironic line. The reader will affiliate the soldier's words with the condemnment of Farquhar and draw a conclusion.
Part III
The reader is delivered to the story at the point at which it was left in Part I~ Farquhar suffering his fate. Bierce uses hints to warn the reader that the extreme nature of the situation has changed Farquhar's perception of time, and will recognise that his sensations are not wholly reliable. Bierce warns the reader in any case by comments such as "it seemed to him". The language changes at this point in the text: always rather arch and elegant, the narrative voice now becomes increasingly Latinate. This shift in diction makes the description resemble an objective account of a real experience.
Various elements of the next paragraph suggest at once an after death experience~ "encompassed in a luminous cloud", "saw above him a gleaming light"~ and the quite natural sensations associated with a body dangling by a broken neck stand out~ "sharp pressure upon his throat", "sense of suffocation", "poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck".
Bierce forces the reader to notice the absurd dream logic both in Farquhar's reflections and in his situation~ "the noose about his neck was already suffocating him and kept the water from reaching his lungs". This ignores the other effect of strangulation: it constricts the vessels that carry blood to the brain.
The description of his effort to free his wrists should warn the reader of the unreal nature of the passage. Farquhar ceased to be a participant even in his struggle for life, instead Bierce makes it seem as if he is an interested observer~ "What splendid effort! What superhuman strength! Bravo!"
Bierce builds the 'surfacing' section on the experience of 'fever' dreams. The sensation of heightened sensitivity~ "felt the ripples upon his face and heard separate sounds as they struck", "noted the prismatic colours in all the dewdrops upon a million blades of grass", which is characteristic of such. At this point, Bierce allows the reader to believe they are beyond the possible.
Hindsight allows the reader to recognise what the careful reproduction of Farquhar's logic hides. The soldiers described behave not as real men, but as Farquhar's amateur consciousness would imagine them having~ "movements were grotesque and horrible, their forms gigantic". Also, his vision of the grey eye of the marksman~ "grey eyes were the keenest and that all famous marksmen had them" is yet another event which suggests an experience of fantasy.
The details of loading and firing~ "Company!... Attention!... Shoulder arms!... Ready!... Aim!... Fire!..." are touches of realism, and yet the way they are seen by Farquhar (from the water, often under the water and from a great distance, all while swirling in the current) marks them as more impossible fantasies.
He rationalises the distortion of the landscape appearing to him, "explosion which stirred the river to its deeps", "blinded him, strangled him". The reader recognises that he is spinning (dying) on the end of his rope, despite his explanation, which is more optimistic as the effect of an eddy.
Effects of light and sound transform the ordinary landscape~ "objects were represented by their colours only". He imagines the sand on the bank to be diamonds, rubies and emeralds. This estrangement deepens as the story approaches Farquhar's final moment. It continues, offering the account as something allegorical. Farquhar's travels take him to a road~ "wide and straight as a city street, yet it seemed un-travelled". Bierce may have intended its symbolism to be of the straight road that each person travels only once.... alone. The heavens are unfamiliar to him; their secret is indeed malign.
Bierce's description of Farquhar's extreme agonies " his neck was in pain", "his tongue was swollen" indicates to the reader that he is clearly dying, his tongue thrusting out from between his teeth as he is strangulated.
From all of the above that I have discussed, Bierce give careful, hidden hints that the illusion that he writes is actually false. He purposely confuses his audience. The detailed description of how Farquhar broke free from being hung give the fleeting thought that he did not die.
The ending of the story is the greatest example of an illusion that dramatically enhances the story~ " Ah, how beautiful she is! He springs forward with extended arms". Bierce lures the reader into thoughts of joy by remarking how beautiful the wife is. Suddenly, Bierce stops his complex illusions and proves that proves the prior Part III was not reality, set in the min of Farquhar~ "his body swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek Bridge.
Conclusion
Bierce has a unique style to pull the reader into the story. To name a few techniques, his complex illusions keep the audience in suspense, his detailed descriptions allow the reader to picture all aspects of the story and the dividing of the story into three separate parts help them to stay focused. These all work together to provide a compelling, inspiring and powerful story. 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' is a great example how the mind can be deceptive.
